Wheel assembly



'July 19, 1938. c. F. HIRSHFELD WHEEL. ASSEMBLY Filed July 15. 1936 INVENTOR. UAH/@SMQ- E' J/mfra/D B n ATTORNE?.

Patched 'July 19,1938

PATENT foi-Fics WHEEL ASSEMBLY Clarence F. Hirshfeld, Detroit, Mich., assigner to Transit Research Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Appummnmy 15, 193s, serial No. coma s claims. '(01. 295-11)` Thisinvention relates to resilient wheels, par-mA ticularly for rail vehicles, of the type wherein the to surface bond to each majonsurface of each rubber disc a thin disc of metal `and to dowel these metallic discs to the main plates and web. -A number of different types of dowels have been sheared off during running operation and others have lost position in their holes. It is therefore an object. of this 'invention to provide an im- ,proved form of dowel which will not shear oil. during operation and which .will not tend4 to dis- 'tort. the metallic discs whereby lo'ss of anchorage '25 in theholes can occur.

Other objects and advantages will become -hereinafter more 'fully apparent as referenceis had to the accompanying drawing wherein:

" Figure 1 is a sectional view,taken through the axis, of one of-th'e preferred embodiments of my invention, V

Figure 2 is a fragment of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale, l A

,Figure 3 is a sectional view 0f a part of the wheel shown in Figure 1 before assembly.

The embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing comprises a hub I0 pressed onto the end of an axle II and having two circular side plates I2 and I3 radiating therefrom. 'The side plate nearest the center ofthe axle II-has a central flange I2a fitting over the hub Il), the base of the flange I2a being welded to the hub I3 at 9 fl to permanently secure them together. In addition,fthe side plate I2 is supported by a frustoconical bracing plate I4 whoseconcave side faces the outer face of the side plate I2, the periphery of the bracing plate I4 being welded to the side `plate I2 at I5. The center of the bracing plate v I4 is formed into a collar or flange I4a fittingv over the inner end of the hub IIl'and is weldedl y n, instead of being wemed to 'the nus In, are

welded to a sleeve I8 which slides over the outer end of the hub III so that they can be removed. The outer end of the hub I0 is smaller in diameter than the inner end, allowing the sleeve I8 which nts over it to have the same outside diameter as the inner end of the hub and permitting the two side plates I2 and I3 and the two'bracing plates I4 and I1 to be duplicates.

The sleeve I8 -is prevented from rotating. with respect to the hub lIII by having its end notched or castellated, the resulting rectangular teethA Ita y fitting between cooperating teeth Illa on the hub. The sleeve I8 is heldagainst the teeth IIJa'on the hub Il) by a ring-like nut I9 screwed onto the end of the hub I0. The nut is locked by a cap 23 whose interior is shaped to fit the sides of the nut I9.. The cap 20, in turn, is prevented from rotating by a slot. in its edge which engages a lug 2| on the 'adjacent bracing plate I1 and is held in place by a small bolt' 22- extending intothe end of the axle II.

A central plate or web 23 lies midway between the two side plates I2 and I3 and carries a tire 23a formed integrally with it. A large aperture in the middle of the central plate 23 allows the 25 hub III to pass through it with considerable clearance. Thus the central v plate and hub will never be in direct contact. Instead the load will at all times be transmitted in shear from the central plate 23 to the side plates I2 and I3 through the .30'

cushioning elements 24 whichlie betweenthem f and carry the load.

The cushioning elements comprise circular slabs or discs of rubber 24, Jwith thin sheets or discs 25 and 26 of metal bonded to the sides of 35 the slabs 24 and connected to the plates I2, I3 and 23. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated, there are two slabs. of rubber 24, one ateach side'of the central plate 23 and between it and the side plates I2 and I3, and they are 40 made thick enough so that they and the central plate 23 are clamped tightly together between the side plates I2 and I3 `whendshe outer side plate I3 and the sleeve I 8 which carries it are forced into position by the large nut I9 on the end ofthe hub.

,Y The slabs of rubber 24 are surface bonded'to metallic discs or sheets 25 and 23 distinct from and removably connected to the plates I2, I3

and 23 against which they lie, the slabs of rubber 50 and the sheets 25 and. 26 thus form removable and replaceable springing elements.

The means for connecting the discs 25 to the. side plates I2 and I3 consists of dowels or studs 21 projecting through holes in the discs and into 55 accurately iitting holes in the `side plates and having large fiat heads 21a with their peripheries welded at 28 to the discs 25. The large flat heads 21a on the4 studs 21 allow the load to be transmitted from thestuds 21 to the discs. 25 not only where the discs encircle and fit against the studsl 21 but also around the circumferences of circles of considerably larger diameter where the edges of the heads 21a are welded to the sheets 25. The heads 21a thus reinforcerthe sheets 25 and keep the dowels or studs 2l perpendicular to the discs and'plates I2 and I3 even though the studs 2l are subjected to offset forces tending to bend .them over by buckling the discs.

large area of contact with the web 23 on account. oi the thickness thereof.

The slabs of .rubber 24 are provided with recesses 30 over the anges or collars 26a to .prevent the rubber, 24 from coming into contact with the ends of the pins 29,

to which it cannot be bonded, and being injured thereby as the rubber 24 moves during operation. These recesses 30, when formed, have the shape shown in Figure 3 and, in dotted lines, in Figure 2, but are squeezed down to the shape shown in full lines in Figure 2 when the wheel is assembled and-the slabs of rubber .24 are laterally compressed slightly by the tightening up of the large nut I9 on the outer end of the hub I0. I

The embodiment shown is preferred over other embodiments of the invention, such as those in which studs, similar to the studs 21, are used to connect the sheets 26 to the central web 23 or in which the sheets lying against the outer plates I2 are formed with collars, similar to the collars 26a, fitting over pins projecting from the outer plates I2, because the particular construction shown employs the collar construction only'where the pin can be symmetrically loaded and employs the stud with a large head Where the loading is' necessarily eccentric. While only the preferred embodiment has been shown and described in detail, my invention is not limited thereto, as will be v seen by the scope of the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. A wheel comprising a hub, a pair of spaced radial side plates secured thereto, a radial central plate lying between said side plates and spaced radially from said hub, a tire carried by said central plate, fiat slabs of rubber .lying between said plates and resiliently connecting said central plate to said side plates, sheets of metal bonded to the faces of said slabs of rubber and lying against said plates, and means to prevent sliding of said sheets with respect to said plates including a pin extending through said central plate and into .apertures in the sheets on either side thereof, said apertures being reenforced by eni circling ilanges integral with 4said sheets.

2. A wheel comprising a hub, a pair of spaced radial-side plates secured thereto, a radial central platelying between said side plates and spaced radially from said hub, a tire carried by said central plate, flat slabs of rubber lying between said` plates and resiliently connecting said central plate to said side plates, sheets of 'metal bonded 'to the angabe faces of said slabs of rubber and lying against said plates, and means to prevent sliding of said sheets with respect to said plates including a pin extending through said central plate and into apertures in the sheets on either side thereof, said apertures being reenforced by encircling flanges integral with said sheets and forming short tubes projecting into the slabs of rubber.`

3. A wheel comprising a hub, a pair of spaced radial side plates secured thereto, a radial central plate lying between said side plates and spaced radially from said hub, a tire carried by said central plate, lat slabs of rubber lying between said plates and resiliently connecting said central plate to said side plates, sheets of metal bonded to the faces of said slabs of rubber and lying against said plates, and means to prevent sliding of said sheets with respect to said plates including a pin extending through said central plate and into apertures in the sheets on either side thereof, said apertures being reenforced by encircling flanges integral with said sheets, and said slabs of rubber being recessed at said apertures.

4. A wheel comprising a hub, a pair of spaced radial side plates secured thereto, a radial central plate lying between said side plates` and spaced radially from said hub, a tire carried by said central plate, flat slabs ofrubber lying between said plates' and resiliently connecting said central plate to said side plates, sheets of metal bonded 4to the faces of said slabs of rubber and lying against said plates, and means to prevent sliding of said sheets with respect to said plates including a pin f projecting from one of said plates into an aperture in the adjacent sheet, said aperture being reenforced by a flange integral with said sheet.

5. A wheel comprising a hub, a pair o f spaced radial side plates secured thereto, a radial central plate lying between said side plates and spaced radially from said hub, a tire carried by saidcentral plate, hat slabs of rubber lying between said plates and resiliently connecting said central plate to said side plates, sheets of metal bonded to the faces of said slabs of rubber and lying against said plates, and means to prevent sliding of said sheets with respect to said plates including a pin projecting from one of said plates into v an aperture in the adjacent sheet, ysaid aperture -being reenforced by a ,flange integral with said sheet and forming ashort tube projecting into the rubber slab bonded to said sheet.

6. A wheel comprising a hub, a pair of spaced radial side plates secured thereto, a radial central plate lying between said side plates and spaced radially from said hub, a tire carried by said central plate, flat slabs ofl rubber lying between lsaid plates and resiliently connecting said central plate to said side plates, sheets of metal bonded to the faces of said slabs of rubber and lying against said plates, and means to prevent sliding of said sheets with respect to said plates includingI a vpin projecting from one of said, platesvinto an aperture in the adjacent sheet, said aperture being reenfored by a flange integral with said sheet, and forming .a short tube projecting into the rubber slab bonded to said sheet, said rubber slab being recessed at the mouth of said tube.

"7. A wheel lcomprising a hub, a pair of spaced radial side plates secured thereto, a radial central plate lying between said side plates and'spaced radially from said hub, a tire carried by said central plate, flat slabs of rubber lying between said plates and resiliently connecting said central plate to said side plates, sheets'of metal bonded t0 the faces of said slabs of rubber and lying against said plates, and means to prevent sliding of said .sheets with respect to said plates including projections extending from said plates into apertures in the adjacent sheets. said slabs of rubber being recessed at said apertures.

8. A springing element lcomprising a slab of rubber and thin sheets of metal bonded to the'- opposite faces of said slab, one of "'*saidsheets of metal having an aperture therethrough sur-4 rounded by a sleeve integral with said sheet and projecting toward the other sheet.

9. A springing element as described in`c1aim 8 in which the rubber slab is recessed at said aperture.

CLARENCE F. HIRSHF'ELD.A 

